Liberty Mutual decides against downtown Wausau relocation

Aspirus purchased four buildings and land from Liberty Mutual Insurance. This building will house the health care system's administrative team.(Photo: T'xer Zhon Kha/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

WAUSAU - Liberty Mutual Insurance has chosen not to move to a new building near U.S. 51 or into downtown Wausau, but city officials still hope to find a permanent home for one of its largest employers.

Liberty Mutual sent a statement Wednesday to the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin that said the company appreciates the city's willingness to help, but it has decided to continue to lease in its current location in the Aspirus Inc. corporate office building, near the hospital campus.

Christian Schock, the city's Planning, Community and Economic Development director, said the city also was encouraging Liberty Mutual to consider building or buying downtown office space.

Schock said the city has been in constant contact with the insurance firm as it made its decision, and that Liberty's choice to remain in its offices near Aspirus Wausau Hospital won't affect future decisions.

"They were at a point where they had to decide on renewing their lease," he said. "They renewed in the interim because they're working to make decisions."

Schock said that Liberty Mutual is obviously still invested in the community, and all 900 employees in Wausau will stay here.

"Their business is committed to Wausau, which has been our goal," he said. "We value them as a corporate partner in the city."

Eventually, the city is looking forward to helping the company find a permanent location, whether downtown or somewhere else within Wausau, Schock said.